Ignition switch took a dump today
#1
Ignition switch took a dump today
Lets see, within the past week or so I've had a spare tire fall off, then busted a brake line, now this.
Whats that saying ,,, Bad things happen in 3's ?
I am hoping that is it.
So I'm out this evening with 2 of my daughters and 3 of their friends.
Giggling goofy girls from 9 to 15, quite an adventure to spend 5 hours with a crew like that.
Anyhow we stopped off to get some ice cream [of course] .. And one of my girls gets in the truck after eating to listen to the radio, and calls out that the key won't turn.
Some times you gotta jiggle the gearshift a bit so I figured it was that.
No go, gear shifter or key would not budge an inch.
They was both locked as locked can be.
Wasn't thinking right at first, I thought it was probably something to do with the shifter linkage, so down I go under my truck with my handy head mounted LED light. I disconnected the linkage from the tranny shifter, tried to jiggle the gear shift by hand from underneath, no go.
So I'm on my back, with a face full of rust and grease up to my elbows, with girls around me peeking under the truck, pleading that they have to go to the bathroom right this instant, or else ,,, I'm trying to think, and it finally dawned on me that if the key won't move, then of course the gear shift is locked.
Didn't have the right size bit to take off the 2 little screws that secure the top portion of the column cover, so I basically just ripped it off.
Jiggled this, jaggled that, still the key would not budge.
Was contemplating just taking out the ignition and starting it with a screwdriver ,,, But on close exam, the ignition is held in by torx security bits ,,, A box of which I have in my garage, but not in the truck.
So I figured my options were down to either ripping it out by brute force, or getting a tow.
I was leaning towards the second, since I have free AAA towing.
I was just about to make a call for someone to pick up the girls while I wait for the tow when another idea dawned on me.
Why not just smack it around a little bit ?
So I got a hammer and bopped around, to my surprise I got the accessory position to go on.
Bopped right on the key and presto, it unlocked and I was good to go - For now, anyways.
Obviously needs replacing, I heard they are a royal pain, gonna be checking around here a bit before I make my move.
Nice n crusty - Amazing all the crud that can get under a column skin in 13 years.
Whats that saying ,,, Bad things happen in 3's ?
I am hoping that is it.
So I'm out this evening with 2 of my daughters and 3 of their friends.
Giggling goofy girls from 9 to 15, quite an adventure to spend 5 hours with a crew like that.
Anyhow we stopped off to get some ice cream [of course] .. And one of my girls gets in the truck after eating to listen to the radio, and calls out that the key won't turn.
Some times you gotta jiggle the gearshift a bit so I figured it was that.
No go, gear shifter or key would not budge an inch.
They was both locked as locked can be.
Wasn't thinking right at first, I thought it was probably something to do with the shifter linkage, so down I go under my truck with my handy head mounted LED light. I disconnected the linkage from the tranny shifter, tried to jiggle the gear shift by hand from underneath, no go.
So I'm on my back, with a face full of rust and grease up to my elbows, with girls around me peeking under the truck, pleading that they have to go to the bathroom right this instant, or else ,,, I'm trying to think, and it finally dawned on me that if the key won't move, then of course the gear shift is locked.
Didn't have the right size bit to take off the 2 little screws that secure the top portion of the column cover, so I basically just ripped it off.
Jiggled this, jaggled that, still the key would not budge.
Was contemplating just taking out the ignition and starting it with a screwdriver ,,, But on close exam, the ignition is held in by torx security bits ,,, A box of which I have in my garage, but not in the truck.
So I figured my options were down to either ripping it out by brute force, or getting a tow.
I was leaning towards the second, since I have free AAA towing.
I was just about to make a call for someone to pick up the girls while I wait for the tow when another idea dawned on me.
Why not just smack it around a little bit ?
So I got a hammer and bopped around, to my surprise I got the accessory position to go on.
Bopped right on the key and presto, it unlocked and I was good to go - For now, anyways.
Obviously needs replacing, I heard they are a royal pain, gonna be checking around here a bit before I make my move.
Nice n crusty - Amazing all the crud that can get under a column skin in 13 years.
Last edited by xray99; 09-05-2009 at 12:50 AM.
#7
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Lee County, North Carolina
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#10
i had the same thing with my truck, all at about the same time, ball joints, u joints and wheel bearings
his problems were just so more random